In an incident that has reignited discussions around toxic work cultures in India including long working hours, 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, an employee of Ernst & Young (EY), passed away after allegedly succumbing to work pressure.

Anna collapsed at home, and her mother’s subsequent letter claimed that her death was the result of extreme stress, both physical and mental, due to the overwhelming demands of her job.

Anna’s story is not an isolated one many succumb to the unhealthy demands of their jobs but silently, afraid that they may be sidelined by the boss and maybe ridiculed by their peers for not toeing the line.

Still, the incident is an example of the price that many young professionals are paying in today’s corporate ecosystem.

It also points to a larger systemic issue—India’s gruelling work culture, which prioritizes long hours over employee well-being, and where worth is often measured by how much an individual can endure, rather than the quality of their work.

Another Testimony, The Case of Aakash Venkatasubramanian’s Wife

In a separate incident that adds to the growing conversation, a tech professional named Aakash Venkatasubramanian recently shared his wife’s experience working at EY.

In a widely circulated LinkedIn post, Aakash revealed how his wife left the company due to what he described as a toxic work environment, where 18-hour workdays were the norm.

“Eighteen-hour workdays are normalized, glorified, and expected out of employees by many big MNCs in India,” Aakash wrote, underlining a dark contrast – multinational corporations (MNCs) impose such extreme work schedules in India but would never demand the same from their employees abroad.

“Indians are being seen as donkeys to offload work, and India is seen as a huge factory willing to operate 24x7x365,” he added.

Revisiting Narayan Murthy’s Controversial Statement

These incidents also bring back into focus a controversial statement made by Infosys founder Narayan Murthy last year.

In October, Murthy suggested that India’s work culture needed a radical shift, encouraging the younger generation to be prepared for a 70-hour work week. He justified his stance by recounting his own experiences, where he claimed to have worked 85-90 hours per week until his retirement.

Murthy’s comments, which sparked a heated debate across the country, reflect an attitude that normalizes excessive work hours as a measure of productivity and success.

However, the tragic case of Anna Sebastian Perayil and many who may be silently suffering shows us the human cost that comes with such a mindset.

The Need for Government Intervention

Aakash’s post went beyond the personal, calling on the Indian government to take action. He criticized the government for collecting taxes from citizens without ensuring humane working conditions or providing social security for those who face layoffs.

“The government does not help taxpayers when they are laid off, but would happily collect the taxes from us when they aren’t even giving us the basic necessities,” he wrote.

His plea is clear – “Dear Government, let this be the last death. I hope at least after this incident, corporate workers would get some benefit from the government with a new law or a job-seeking cushion in the event of layoffs.”

EY’s Response and the Labour Ministry’s Investigation

In response to the growing outcry, EY issued a statement expressing their condolences to Anna Sebastian’s family and acknowledged Anna’s short stint at the company, where she had worked as part of the Audit team for just four months.

“That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us,” EY’s statement read.

The firm emphasized that they are taking the family’s concerns seriously and are committed to improving the workplace environment for their employees.

Meanwhile, India’s labour ministry has announced it will be conducting an investigation into EY, following the public and social media uproar over Anna’s death.

The Larger Issue, India’s Toxic Work Culture

Anna’s death and Aakash’s testimony have thrown the limelight on the darker side of India’s corporate culture.

The glorification of long hours, the normalization of burnout, and the dehumanizing treatment of employees, especially in sectors like tech and auditing, are issues that need to be addressed urgently.

This tragic incident has once again pushed the debate to the forefront –  What price are we willing to pay for professional success?

How many more deaths will it take before corporate India and the government take meaningful action to protect the mental and physical well-being of its workforce?

Anna Sebastian’s passing should be taken as a wake-up call and for companies and policymakers to prioritize humane working conditions and ensure that productivity does not come at the cost of life itself.

Endorsing Long Work Hours, Productivity Or Well-Being

Several industry leaders, such as Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola, and Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Group, have supported Narayan Murthy’s views on the need for longer work hours to boost productivity.

However, others hold different opinions.

Ronnie Screwvala, Chairman of upGrad, an ed-tech platform, argues that productivity isn’t just about the number of hours worked—it also depends on the quality of work being done.

Sukhbir Singh Bhatia, CEO of Hi-Com Network, believes that a well-rested workforce is more innovative and creative, suggesting that pushing employees to the brink may stifle creativity in the long run.

What Does the Research Say?

Studies on productivity speak about several factors beyond just time spent at work.

In an article in Forbes, Roei Friedberg pointed out that aspects like lighting, air quality, opportunities for movement, and time off are critical in fostering employee efficiency.

Similarly, a blog post by Datalligence AI identified work-life balance and employee well-being as top factors driving productivity in modern workplaces.

Clearly, 70-hour work weeks don’t align with maintaining long-term physical and psychological health.

While working extended hours might result in short-term productivity spikes, over time, it can lead to burnout—an emotional and physical exhaustion that diminishes work effectiveness.

The Mayo Clinic notes that excessive workloads, long hours, and lack of work-life balance are key contributors to burnout. A 70-hour work week, if normalized, checks all those risk factors.

Is There an Ideal Number of Work Hours?

Murthy’s earlier recommendation of a 60-hour work week in 2020 has now expanded to 70 hours.

Thus, it raises critical questions –

1) What is the right number of hours that balances productivity with personal well-being?

2) Can we even pinpoint an exact number that optimizes work-life balance without compromising mental and physical health?

What the Law Says

The Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1930, stipulates that work should not exceed 48 hours per week, with a daily cap of eight hours; while some flexibility allows for up to 10-hour days in specific arrangements, these regulations exist to protect employee health.

Overstepping these limits, as in the case of a 70-hour week, might violate not only legal boundaries but also employees’ psychological needs.

Meeting Basic Psychological Needs with the DRAMMA Model

In an article in Psyche, organizational psychologists Jessica de Bloom and Merly Kosenkranius encourage us to think about whether our lives fulfill basic psychological needs rather than merely seeking work-life balance.

They propose using the DRAMMA model—an acronym for Detachment, Relaxation, Autonomy, Mastery, Meaning, and Affiliation—originally introduced by psychologist Ed Diener, to evaluate if our lives are well-rounded.

• Detachment involves disconnecting from work when not on the job. A 70-hour work week makes it harder to achieve this detachment, especially if employees are expected to respond to work calls or emails after hours.

• Relaxation is about winding down and taking time to engage in hobbies or activities with friends and family. It’s essential to recharge both mentally and physically.

• Autonomy refers to having control over your decisions. While autonomy at work is important, having personal time to make choices is crucial to well-being.

• Mastery speaks to utilizing your strengths and talents at work. If your job allows you to do so, it meets this psychological need.

• Meaning relates to finding purpose in your career. Not every task needs to be deeply fulfilling, but ensuring that some aspects of your work feel meaningful can prevent burnout.

• Affiliation is about maintaining strong relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Having time outside of work to nurture these connections is critical.

By using the DRAMMA model, employees can assess whether a 70-hour work week allows them to meet their basic psychological needs. If not, it might be time to rethink the expectation of such long hours.

The Last Bit, The debate surrounding long work hours is far from over. While some industry leaders believe that extended hours are key to boosting productivity, others emphasize the importance of balance, rest, and well-being.

As the conversation continues, one must ponder the fact that a healthy and fulfilled workforce is more likely to be a productive one in the long term.